FBN-PLAYER-NEWS-WIRE -

Part 1

QB Ben Roethlisberger showed up for the opening of minicamp Tuesday, and watched from the sideline, his right knee wrapped after "cleanup" surgery last Wednesday.

However, he said he could play Sunday if there were a game.

"My knee is in great shape," Roethlisberger said. "They took care of the little problem. It had been bothering me a little last year, and we decided now is the time to take care of it. There was no repair. It was just a cleanup."

Roethlisberger had similar surgery during the 2005 season and missed three games. He will "absolutely" be ready to go full-bore when the Steelers open training camp July 26.

"I think it was just general wear and tear," he said. "It's my right leg, so it's my plant leg. Every time I drop back I put a lot of pressure on my leg. A lot of quarterbacks' right knees are a little banged up and beat up. I'm glad we got it done."

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NFL Note - Detroit Lions Broyles, Ryan

The Detroit Lions opened minicamp Tuesday, and notable was the return to full participation of four players who had only participated in individual drills during voluntary workouts. Wide receiver Ryan Broyles (knee), cornerback and second-round pick Darius Slay (knee), running back Mikel Leshoure (hamstring) and defensive tackle and fourth-round pick Devin Taylor (hamstring) all worked the team drills for the first time.

The return of Broyles was a surprise.

"He's had a great rehab," head coach Jim Schwartz said. "He's working really hard. It's been a long time for him, second year in a row with an ACL. But, you know, every time he's gone out on the field he's made plays and he did the same thing today.

"He's still not 100 percent, but he's able to sort of pick and choose some spots in practice and he looked good."

Broyles was coming off ACL surgery on his other leg before his rookie season in 2012 and he didn't start competing in team drills until training camp, so he is well ahead of his previous schedule.

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NFL Note - New York Giants Nicks, Hakeem

After skipping out on the team's voluntary organized team activities, New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, was present Tuesday for the start of the team's mandatory three-day minicamp.

Nicks, who met with the media before practice, declined to provide a reason for his absence from the OTAs.

"I'm here now and that's all I'm going to talk about," he said. "I'm not really going to go back. It's in the past already."

But the fifth-year receiver, who last spring broke his foot during an OTA practice in what was the first of multiple injuries that plagued him all last season and which led to career lows in receiving yards (692) and touchdowns (three), did admit that last year was still very much fresh in his mind, especially with him entering the final year of his rookie contract this season.

Nicks, who said he explained his position to general manager Jerry Reese, said he regretted causing angst for head coach Tom Coughlin, who at the start of OTAs, expressed disappointment in having not heard from his star receiver regarding his absence from the voluntary OTAs.

"I feel where he was coming from," said Nicks. "I could have done a better job reaching out, but we finally did get to talk, and we got things straightened out. Coach Coughlin, that's my guy, so I don't think that relationship can go sour."

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NFL Note - Jacksonville Jaguars Jones-Drew, Maurice

RB Maurice Jones-Drew said at a press conference Monday that no one knows what his future holds entering the final season of his contract.

What isn't in his short-term future is practice, as he'll continue to play spectator during minicamp this week while recovering from foot surgery.

Jones-Drew, speaking for the first time since a May 26 incident in which he allegedly knocked out a security guard, was advised to avoid discussion about that ongoing legal matter.

"Obviously, it's an ongoing situation and I've been advised not to talk about it," he said. "It's an unfortunate situation."

Jones-Drew hasn't been charged.

He's also recovering from Lisfranc surgery on his foot and won't participate in the team's minicamp this week.

"The team has been busting their butts the last couple of weeks, and I've been doing the same thing in Miami," said Jones-Drew, adding that he regrets being a distraction.